


A Perfect Match

by Mordinette



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 10:08:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mordinette/pseuds/Mordinette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remember the salarian clerk selling games on the Citadel? He meets his match, a fellow nerd: a human female. A fill for the kinkmeme.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Games

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This fill was for a prompt on the ME kink meme, which asked for a story of everlasting love between a salarian male and a human female.
> 
> Silus, the turian chef, is a character from another story of mine (The Real Thing).
> 
> The Read Celt from ff.net was my wonderful beta for this story.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. I was playing this fascinating human game— _Solitaire_. Did you need something?" Nalik blinked apologetically at the young woman on the other side of the counter.

She'd been standing there for a while, waiting for him to finally acknowledge her presence, but he'd been so immersed in whatever he was doing on his omni-tool that she'd had to clear her throat and tap her feet as loudly as she could to draw his attention. At the mention of _Solitaire_ , however, all her annoyance dissipated and her eyes lit up with an enthusiastic gleam. "You know that game? Isn't it great? I've been playing it for days. It's addictive!"

Nalik carefully considered her for a few seconds, not sure if she was serious or if she was teasing him, like his co-worker Don, who thought that his new passion was nothing more than some boring child's play. She was a pleasant looking human, at least from what he could tell based on his limited experience with the race, with short black hair that was dyed purple in stripes and light blue eyes that sparkled like lorin stones in the dim light.

"I don't blame you. I can hardly turn it off myself—as you could see just a few moments ago. For which I apologize," he added quickly, waiting to see if she was going to laugh at him now about his confession or she was indeed a kindred spirit.

"You know what else is fun? _Tetris_!" She beamed at him, and now he knew that she was the real deal.

"Oh yes, another interesting human invention!" he gleefully replied, happy that he'd finally met somebody who appreciated the kind of entertainment he himself had an obsession for. Don and most of their customers were more into sports games or fighting games with big choices and visceral combat.

"So, were you looking for something?" he asked. He would have liked to chat more about their common interests, but he was here to sell games after all.

"Yeah, I was wondering if you've received _Final Fantasy_ _forty-eight_ yet?"

"Sorry, not yet. You might want to check tomorrow, though. We're expecting it any day now. So... you like roleplaying games, too?"

"They are my favorites. Though I wish they still made them like they used to."

"I know what you mean! I miss those old games, where you had to remember to drink water, and it took five hours real time to fly somewhere."

"I know, right?" She let out a happy little chuckle. Finally, somebody who felt the same way she did!

"Well, I'll come back tomorrow then." She gave him a nod and a smile, turned around, and left.

He watched her leave for a while before he turned back to his _Solitaire_.

 

* * *

 

"See, I told you it's a nice place," Don declared as they entered the brand new human-salarian-asari restaurant in Zakera Wards.

"Whether or not the environment is pleasing to the eye does not influence my ability to digest my food," Nalik replied, still irritated by the fact that Don had dragged him away from his video game for lunch. He preferred to eat a quick bite while he played on his omni-tool, making use of the opportunity to have an uninterrupted period of time without having to answer and serve customers.

"Look, there's your girlfriend!" Don grinned, ignoring Nalik's protests, as usual. He nodded in the direction of a young human female who was sitting by herself at a table in the corner.

"What girlfriend? I don't have any girlfriend," Nalik snorted, looking around. "Oh, she's just a loyal customer," he said when he spotted the woman Don was heading towards.

"Right. That's why she's there all the time, chatting and batting her eyelashes at you."

"What? We just like the same kinds of games, that's all."

"Let's go and say hi to her."

"No! It would be rude to interrupt..."

But it was too late. They were already at her table.

"Oh, hi," she said, smiling up at them.

"Hi. Mind if we join you?" Don asked, sitting down already before she even had a chance to say anything.

"Uh... sure."

"What are you reading?" Don picked up the datapad lying next to her plate. " _FTL Mechanics_? Are you kidding me? This is what you read during lunch?"

"Yeah. I'm an engineering student." She shrugged, ignoring the teasing tone in his voice. "I want to serve on a starship one day. My name's Alice, by the way."

"I'm Don, and this is Nalik."

"We've talked several times but never introduced ourselves. It's nice to put a name to the face." She smiled at the salarian.

It did not escape Don's attention that she didn't seem to care about _his_ name. Pity. She was cute. But, the only person she seemed to have eyes for was Nalik. If only she knew about salarians... Or maybe she did, she just didn't care.

"Nalik and I were just talking about the new _Galaxy Trek_ movie," he said.

"We were?" Nalik stared at him in shock. Don kicked him under the table. "Ouch."

"So, uh... Would you be interested in going to the movie theater with us tonight to see it?"

"I... I'd love to. I was going to go with my friend, but she got sick and I didn't want to go alone. I love _Galaxy Trek_!" Her eyes glinted with unbridled enthusiasm.

"You, too? I've seen every movie at least ten times!" Nalik exclaimed with a big grin on his face.

"Same here!"

"It's a date then," Don smirked and leaned back in his chair, extremely satisfied with himself. "Let's meet there at 7 P.M."

 

* * *

 

By the time Alice arrived, Nalik was already waiting for her, but there was no sign of his friend.

"Hello. Don fell sick and couldn't make it," Nalik announced as soon as she was within hearing range. "If you want to cancel, I'll understand."

"Not a chance," she answered with a broad smile. _It's even better this way._

She felt more comfortable just with the salarian. There was something about him that attracted her; sure, it was nice that he liked the same kinds of things as she did, but it was more than that. She found his enthusiasm and upbeat personality irresistible, and she felt... safe with him. She felt confident that he was somebody who would not hurt her. Or, at least, not intentionally. Unlike... unlike some people.

"So, let's go get the tickets," she proposed cheerfully, chasing away the bad memories of her  old boyfriend, and hurried inside, Nalik following close behind.

 

* * *

 

The movie was great. Lots of action, special effects, romance— they loved it all. Well, Nalik mainly liked the action and explosions; the love scenes left him cold. But Alice thought it was all wonderful. They were still talking about their favorite scenes on their way out of the theater when a big advertisement stopped them in their tracks.

"Look, there's going to be a "Galaxy Trek Convention" here this weekend. Are you going?" Alice asked, pointing at the announcement.

"Of course. Nothing could keep me away."

"Are you going in costume?"

"Sure! I'll be Captain Loran. You?"

"I'll be Specialist Jiril." She gave him a sideways glance. "Maybe we could go together. It would be more fun."

"Good idea."

He walked her home, talking about the movie and the convention the whole time, and returned to his apartment happier than he'd ever been since he'd started to work on the Citadel.

 

* * *

 

They arrived at the convention in full costume, just two in a sea of participants, most of whom had dressed up as one of the beloved characters of the series. Up ahead there was a registration desk where they could sign up for events and get maps and schedules. They downloaded the data to their omni-tools, then stopped in a relatively quiet corner to discuss where to go first.

"Look, there's a row of vendors on this floor. Let's go and see what kind of stuff we can get," Alice suggested.

"I hope they have Major Etril's action figure. I'm still missing that one from my collection," Nalik said, excited like a little kid on a field trip.

The merchandise area turned out to be much bigger than the map had implied, and it took them several hours to look at everything and decide what to buy. By the time they finished their purchasing frenzy, it was time to go to the costume contest. They had signed up together and went on stage as a pair, showing off their outfits, taking on the mannerisms of their characters and re-enacting one of the thrilling scenes from the latest movie in the short amount of time allotted to each competitor. The audience cheered and hollered, and they won second place. First place went to a hanar and an elcor, a favorite among the crowd for their realistic getup and props, complete with pyrotechnics and a light show.

"There's no way we could have competed against those!" Nalik grumbled, clutching the little statue he got for his prize.

"We still did very well. Maybe next time we'll prepare something spectacular." Alice patted his shoulder. "Okay, where next?"

"Let's see. Oh! The autograph signing session in B2 is starting soon. I definitely want to go there."

"All right. Let's go!"

Unfortunately, by the time they arrived at the designated suite, there was already a huge crowd waiting for the actors to show up.

Alice stopped in her tracks. She looked heartbroken. "We'll never get to them this way!"

"Hmm," Nalik murmured as he fiddled with his omni-tool.

The next moment hers went off with a ping, alerting to the fact that the signing had been moved to another room on the far side of the building. Just as she was about to turn around and rush there, he grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Wait," he said, pulling her aside, just in time to prevent her from being run over by the herd of fans hurrying out of B2 and off to the new room.

"We're going to miss it again!" Alice complained. She puffed out a frustrated breath of air, but he didn't seem concerned at all. In fact, he seemed to be quite satisfied with himself. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why are you smiling?"

"The signing was not moved. Just the crowd."

She wasn't sure if she should gasp in horror or laugh. "What? You... You hacked into the notification system and sent out a false alert?"

"Well, now we can easily get to the front of the line."

"What line? There's nobody else here now."

"Exactly."

"You're evil," she chuckled.

"No, not evil. Just resourceful. Using my skills to achieve a goal," he replied indignantly. "I'll send out another note, telling them it was all a mistake, once we've gotten our autographs."

"Where did you get those hacking skills, anyway?"

"I studied computer science and virtual intelligence for a few years at university. But I'm much more interested in video games. One day I'd like to make my own."

She gave him a warm smile. "I'm sure you will, and I'm sure it will be fun." Her eyes darted to the door and she grabbed his arm with excitement. "They're here! Let's go get those signatures!"

 

* * *

 

After the convention they spent as much time together as they could—at least whenever she wasn't at her part time job at the souvenir shop or at school. They had lunch together, went to the movies or played video games either at her place or his.

When she had to leave for a few weeks to visit family on Earth for some holiday, he felt positively lost without her. The food didn't taste as good as before, he had less enthusiasm for his job and less patience for customers, and he didn't feel like doing anything but stare out the window when he finally got home. Even his video game system sat lonely and abandoned in his living room; it just wasn't the same, playing without her.

He didn't understand what was happening to him. He refused Don's accusations that he was "a lovesick puppy", retorting that Alice wasn't his girlfriend, salarians did _not_ have girlfriends, and they most certainly did _not_ get lovesick.

When she finally returned, however, his mood immediately improved and he was ecstatic to receive an invitation from her to play _Alliance Corsair HD_ at her place that evening.

They sat on her couch, watching the holo-projector, as they ducked behind cover and shot their way through hordes of mercs and batarian slavers to complete their mission.

"Right behind you!" he shouted as he noticed a krogan charging her character. Despite his warning, however, she didn't shoot or move away from her position. He blasted the krogan, then glanced down at her. She was slouched by his side and her eyes were closed.

"Alice?" He nudged her, at which she mumbled something and proceeded to lean towards him. She put her head in his lap, pulled her legs up and settled comfortably down, never opening her eyes. She slept as if she was dead to the world.

He sat there, astonished, unsure of what he should do. It never ceased to amaze him how quickly other species seemed to run out of steam. But, he figured, maybe she just needed a little rest and soon she'd wake up and they could finish the game. He paused the action and waited patiently, watching her breathe in and out, finding the silence, interrupted only by the soft sounds she made as the air entered and escaped her lungs, strangely peaceful and calming.

After a while he was forced to come to the realization that she was not going to arise any time soon, so he decided to pick her up and carry her to her bed, then leave.

She was a little heavier than he'd expected, but he managed, salarians being stronger than they seemed. His efforts were helped by her unconscious efforts to hold onto him while she buried her face in his chest.

She briefly opened her eyes when he placed her on the bed, and she reached up and pulled him down with her.

"Don't go," she whispered, and he obediently lay down beside her.

Putting an arm around him, she snuggled into his side, then reached around his neck, pulled him down to her and kissed him on the lips. She released him with a contented sigh and went right back to sleep, leaving him frozen with surprise. He was unable to do anything but stare at her and listen to her breathing again.

What did that kiss mean? Did it mean that she was indeed his girlfriend? Did he even want one? Before she'd come along, he would have vehemently said no, but now... having her here, lying next to him on her bed, with her arm across his waist... it actually felt good. It was something that he could get used to. In fact, he liked it so much that even though he had planned to leave as soon as she was unconscious again, now he had no desire to do so. He liked her. They enjoyed the same things. They had fun together. And it was really nice to lie in bed with her, listening to her breathing—it made him relax and forget everything else, even though he knew that he could be up, doing something else right now. But he didn't want to. He was right where he wanted to be.

He made his decision: they were going to be a couple. He'd have to do some research about human mating customs, though. Now that he'd made up his mind about it, he didn't want to disappoint her. He'd have to learn how to... do things to make her happy.

He pondered the issues for a while, then turned towards her, pulled her closer, and drifted off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

She woke up to the sound of her radio clock with a groan. She felt so damn tired; the day before was spent traveling, unpacking, replenishing her food supply after being away for weeks, and then... playing _Alliance Corsair_ with Nalik.

_Nalik!_

She turned around to check if he was still there, but the space on the bed next to her was empty. Her heart sank. She wondered if she'd made him uncomfortable and if she'd ruined their friendship with that kiss. But she had to make her move sooner or later...

She turned the clock off with a sigh then dragged herself to the bathroom to take a shower and get dressed. By the time she entered the kitchen, she felt a little better. At least now he knew how she felt and she was going to take it from there.

So, it was with a bit of a shock to find him by the stove, gleefully preparing some scrambled eggs while he hummed a song she did not recognize.

"Good morning!" he greeted her cheerfully, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for her to find him there, cooking breakfast and waving at the table for her to sit down.

A cup of coffee and some toast were already waiting for her, and she sat down with a grateful smile. Something didn't feel right though; it felt as though something was different. She looked around and realized what it was: the dirty dishes had been washed, dried and put away, the pile of magazines and datapads that she had scattered all over the table had been tidied up, and the cabinets and counters, which she had been neglecting for months, were sparkling clean.

Her mouth fell open. "Did you do all this while I was sleeping? When did you get up?"

"Salarians only need an hour of sleep. I thought I'd make myself useful while you were in bed."

"You certainly have. Thank you." Her eyelashes fluttered nervously as she glanced down at her hands. "I, ah, hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable last night."

"Not at all. I..." he cleared his throat, "rather enjoyed it."

"So... do you want to come over again this evening?" she asked with a blush. Her heart was beating so hard she was certain he could hear it.

"Umm... I have some urgent work to do tonight. But I'll be free tomorrow," he added quickly.

"All right then. It's a date." Her lips curled into a grin and she dug into her eggs, not even bothering to ask where he'd learnt to cook something like that. Knowing him, he'd probably scoured the extranet for information on human food while she was asleep.

_A date. My first date._ Nalik rolled the word around in his head as he watched her eat.

 


	2. Girlfriend

He could hardly wait to get home that evening. As soon as he did, he sat down on the couch and started to search the extranet for information about humans, their culture, anatomy and mating practices. He studied pictures and charts of female body parts with particular interest. The concept of breasts was especially difficult to comprehend. Of course, he'd seen them on asari and human females, covered by cloth, but had never seen them in their natural form before. Since their main function was to feed their young, he didn't expect them to be something that would come into play during mating, but he was surprised to find that human males found them absolutely irresistible.

He clicked on a link, a video popped up on the screen of his omni-tool, and suddenly, loud music and the sound of lustful moans filled his apartment. A male and a female were writhing on a bed, both of them naked, kissing, while the man's hand traveled down the female's chest and started to squeeze and massage her breast. Judging from the sounds she made, she greatly enjoyed his ministrations, and when he bent down and took her nipple in his mouth, she arched her back and her groans got even louder.

Nalik tilted his head to the side, as if he could peek under his lips and see what exactly he was doing, but the next moment the man's mouth left the little pink nub and started to trail kisses down her belly, further and further down, until he came to the junction between her legs. He pushed her thighs open, settled down between them, and started to kiss and lick her seam. Apparently she liked this even better, because she let out a loud moan and bucked her hips into his mouth. The man seemed to enjoy all this a great deal, too, if the sounds he made were anything to go by.

Nalik found all this incredibly fascinating, and the more he watched, the more natural everything started to feel. Blood began to pool in his groin and by the time the couple got to the part where he was on top of her again, pressing into her opening, he unconsciously reached inside his pants and started to stroke his own shaft in rhythm with their movements. His moans joined with theirs, his heart beat faster than ever, and his breathing got ragged and shallow. He almost reached his peak when suddenly his omni-tool started to buzz and a notification flashed urgently over the video. He frantically began to search for the correct buttons to turn the vid off—ordinarily, he would have found all the interface options in a second even if blindfolded, but under these circumstances he had to fumble for a while before he calmed down enough to accomplish this simple task.

"Nalik!" A salarian female's face finally appeared on the screen, looking into his eyes with impatient scorn.

"M...mother!" he stuttered, still out of breath, desperately trying to look normal.

"What's wrong? Are you sick?"

"No, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine to me. Are you eating well? Do you have a fever? Did you work too late again?" Her gaze burnt through the screen as she examined the color and shine of his eyes, the flush of his skin, his rapid breathing—anything she could catch through the flickering display while she rattled off her questions.

"Everything is fine. No need to worry." He smoothed down his tunic and tried to look as nonchalant as he could under the circumstances. _Why did she have to call right now_? _!_

"All right," she sighed. Of course, she didn't believe him, but she knew better than to try to get any more information out of him. "Nalik, I have important news. Good news. Our dalatrass has been in negotiations with a very good family, and we are extremely close to reaching an agreement with them to sign a reproduction contract. This is a perfect match, Nalik. Of course, if you were willing to go back to school and finish your studies, we could find an even better mate." She couldn't resist nagging him about that point.

"Mother, I am _not_ going back to school. And I am not interested in a reproduction contract."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're surely not serious! You won't get a better chance than this, Nalik!"

"I don't care. I have somebody else." Whether or not it was a good idea to share this bit of information with his mother, it slipped out, and all he could do now was to square his shoulders and prepare for the admonishment.

"What did you say?!"

"I have a girlfriend."

"You have a what?"

"I have a girlfriend. She's human," he repeated. He sounded positively proud.

"Nalik!" She clutched her chest, looking absolutely horrified. "I can't believe...

"Sorry, can't hear you. Something wrong with the feed. Hello? Hello?" He pushed some buttons to scramble the vid and the sound, then cut them off altogether.

"All right. Where were we?" He grinned, satisfied, and started the extranet back up again.

 

* * *

 

His mother turned the feed off with a sigh, knowing all too well that once he'd made up his mind, there was no argument that would make him come around.

"Gartin," she called out to her assistant. "Put a call through to Eran Dutas. I am in need of his services."

 

* * *

 

"I hope you like wine," Nalik said, holding out the Chardonnay as he entered Alice's apartment. According to his research, it was customary to bring a bottle when you were invited to a dinner by a human host, and he had asked the turian chef at Zakera Café for recommendations. He was pleased to see Alice smile as she took the drink and put it on the table, already set with plates and silverware and glasses.

"Yes, thank you," she replied. "And I got some salarian food for you. I hope you'll like it."

"Mmm... Smells good," he said, sniffing the air.

"I'm glad." She beamed at him, then took a step closer, put her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. "I missed you so much while I was away."

He wondered what he was supposed to do in this situation (the extranet vids had not shown any scenarios like this), so he decided to copy a gesture he'd seen humans do when they tried to comfort each other: he patted her shoulder and murmured, "I missed you, too..."

She squeezed him tighter, then turned her face up and pressed her lips to his. Now this was familiar; she had kissed him once like this two nights ago. His reaction, however, was different this time: instead of shock, he felt excitement and warmth in his belly now. When her tongue darted out and began to trace his mouth, he parted his lips and her tongue slid in. This was nice. Really nice.

Her hands moved up, stroking his back through the fabric, and he mirrored her actions as he left her lips and kissed her neck, delighting in the way it made her gasp and pull him even closer. She smelled like flowers, and holding her in his arms was like embracing warmth and contentment and pure bliss. He never would have thought that attraction to a female would feel this good; a soft rumble erupted in his chest, reverberating through her body, and blood started to rush to his groin as he ran his fingers up and down her back.

Her stomach trembled when she noticed his growing erection through his pants, and she decided that dinner could wait. She stepped back, took his hand and led him to the bedroom.

He offered no resistance, no matter how hard his heart was beating, and when she began to undo the clasps of his clothes, he joined in the effort, getting undressed as quickly as he could. Once he was bare, he turned his attention to her clothing. She was wearing a dress that zipped up in the back, and a bra and panties underneath. He took great joy in removing them all and exposing her to his inquisitive fingers as he ghosted them along her smooth, warm skin. He slowly approached her breasts and squeezed them, just like he'd seen in the vids.

She puffed out a soft sigh and quivered at his touch, then she pulled him down on the bed with her, making him curve his body over hers. He put his weight on one arm while he explored her chest with the other hand. He loved the way she arched her back when he fondled her breast, and the way her flesh felt under his fingers. Soon, however, he decided that it was time to go onto the next step, so he bent down and took her nipple in his mouth to swirl his tongue around it. He couldn't have been happier with her reaction: she let out a ragged moan, clutched his horns and held onto them tight as he kissed and sucked the little nub. He started to understand why human males liked this part of a female's body so much— he couldn't get enough of massaging and licking the soft mound himself.

It felt absolutely wonderful to have him worship her like that, but she wanted more, so she took his hand and moved it down, over her stomach and pubic bone, then finally to the apex between her legs. She pushed his palm against her seam and parted her thighs for him. Her breathing hitched and her hips bucked into his hand as he started to explore her; pushing a finger inside her folds, he circled around the small bud that he found there. She felt hot and wet and the little noises she made as he stroked her made him feel like he could do this the whole night— just to make her happy, and to feel her trembling hands hold onto him with all her might.

Her other hand finally released his horn and moved down along his body, caressing his cool skin. She searched out his arousal, and when she found it, it was his turn to moan and rumble as her fingers wrapped around him and started to move up and down along his length.

"Nalik" she whispered, "I want you inside me."

She moved her hand to his waist to pull him over herself and he obliged, positioning his shaft at her entrance. His heart was beating faster than he'd thought possible as he pushed in with one smooth thrust. She sucked in a ragged breath as her tight inner walls clamped down around him, and she kissed him as he started to move in and out, slowly, with long and deep strokes. He soon picked up pace and pressure and she rocked her hips against his, meeting each thrust with her own as they developed a rhythm while her fingers traveled up and down his back and her moans mingled with his. Their movements became faster, harder, their breathing got more ragged as they raced towards their release, and when she finally came, crying out his name, her channel spasming around his shaft, he soon followed with a loud grunt, spilling his seed inside her in bursts. He buried his face in her shoulder and held her tight.

"I love you, Nalik," she whispered, stroking his back.

"I love you, too," he replied, and he meant it. He'd never imagined that one day he'd feel this way, but at that moment he realized that being with this human was all he needed to make him whole, and he knew without a doubt that he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life.

"Nalik," she said when he eventually pulled out and settled down beside her, "Maybe we should go and have that dinner now. Are you hungry?"

"I'm famished." He grinned at her and took her hand in his.

"Let's go eat, then. Afterwards, we could play some _Alliance Corsair_. And then... will you stay for the night?'

"Definitely. I could organize your kitchen cabinets while you sleep, if you want."

"Whatever makes you happy," she chuckled as she reached for her clothes.

 


	3. A Visitor

"This is all the intelligence I could gather," Eran Dutas declared as he handed the datapad to Nalik's mother. She was seated behind a desk in the reception room of the family's spacious home.

"Thank you," she said coolly, then gestured towards the door. "Gartin will provide you with your compensation for your services."

The investigator made a small bow, turned around and left, and she wasted no time turning the datapad on and starting to go through the information contained in it.

 

_Subject: Human. Female._

_Name: Alice Thompson_

_Age: 22_

_Born on Earth, family still living there. More details under "Family Background" in section 2.11_

_Currently studying engineering on the Citadel (curriculum, grades, submitted essays under "Education" in section 4.5), working part time in gift shop._

The image of a young woman accompanied the descriptions, smiling into the camera. She studied her face for a long time, trying to catch what her son saw in her, but came up empty-handed. How could he choose a human over his own race? His own family... the wishes of the dalatrass... What went wrong with the imprinting? Something must have happened, for he always walked his own path, resisting their every attempt to make him follow the road that they had designated for him.

She sighed, then opened a folder titled "Holos" and scrolled through the pictures Dutas had taken in secret. Nalik and his girlfriend smiling at each other; laughing at something; holding hands; kissing; walking somewhere, his arm on her shoulder and hers on his waist, looking so happy together.

She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as other, much older images flashed up behind her eyelids: A young drell envoy, mysterious and attractive, whispering sweet things to her, holding her hand, trying to convince her to defy her family and follow him, leaving everything behind. But she couldn't—she wouldn't. She knew her duty, and signed the reproduction agreement with a respectable salarian clan. She knew that the love she felt for the handsome drell would not last, just like her connection to her salarian mate, the father of her daughters, faded after a while. Or would it have stayed strong? Would she have been as happy with him as Nalik seemed to be with this human girl?

No, she shook her head, that's not possible. Just like Nalik would one day lose interest in this girl. But it might be too late by then. She had to act now.

Her mind made up, she straightened in her chair and called for her assistant.

"Gartin. Book me passage to the Citadel as soon as possible."

 

* * *

 

"Alice Thompson?" asked the tall, hooded figure at her door.

"Yes."

"My name is Sulil. I am Nalik's mother."

"Oh! Ah, nice to meet you. Please... come in." Alice gestured towards the inside of her apartment. Her heart was suddenly in her throat and her blood rushed to her face. "I didn't know you were coming—I guess Nalik forgot to mention..."

"He doesn't know I am here," Sulil coldly interrupted her as she strolled in with a stiff back. She looked around, evaluating everything from the size of the apartment to the arrangement of the furniture. Alice was never happier that Nalik was such a neat freak and kept the apartment tidy and organized.

"Ah, can I get you something? We do have some salarian food and drinks at home."

"No, thank you." Sulil looked at her with appraising eyes, taking a mental note of the fact that Alice had said "we" instead of "I". _So, they are living together now._

"I'll get to the point, if you don't mind," she said as she took a seat on the couch. "I want you to stop seeing my son."

"What?" Alice gasped, all color drained from her face.

"Our dalatrass has negotiated a reproduction contract for Nalik with a very good family. It would be extremely advantageous for Nalik and our clan to sign this contract. He will not have a better chance than this to become a father and for our two clans to enter into such a fruitful alliance. But for that to happen, your relationship with him has to end."

"Does Nalik know about this?" Alice asked in a low voice.

"Yes."

"And?"

"He refused. That is why I am here. I know my son. He has a rather... stubborn nature. I was hoping that you might be more reasonable than him."

"Why should I give him up? I love him." Alice's eyes hardened and her shoulders squared as she leveled her gaze at the salarian female sitting on her couch.

"Love," Sulil waved a dismissive hand, "does not last. There might be some fleeting attraction in the beginning, but it will fade."

"Not for us."

"Please. It's just not in our nature to keep a romantic interest alive in the long run. I assure you that it will happen to you, too. But by that time it will be too late for Nalik to find another opportunity like this. It is both in your interests to stop this liaison now."

"I don't believe that."

"Fine," Sulil sighed, "then consider this. Salarians' life expectancy is much lower than humans'. He probably doesn't have more than about 20 years left. Wouldn't it be better to avoid the heartache now?"

"Then we'll enjoy every minute to the fullest. Besides, life expectancy is just that: an expectancy." Alice shrugged. "He might live longer, and I might die sooner than expected."

"And how about reproduction? You cannot have children with him. Are you willing to give up parenthood, too?"

"We can still be parents. We can adopt."

"You... You are as stubborn as him!" Sulil exclaimed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation—the same way she always did when arguing with her son.

"Just one of the reasons we are a perfect match." Alice grinned, having a smug feeling that she had won the debate. There was nothing Nalik's mother could say to turn her away from her love. He was the only one she wanted to be with, and she was not going to give this up just because of some silly salarian contract.

_'A perfect match.'_ Sulil sat in silence for a while, pondering these words. Maybe this human was right. Maybe she _was_ the perfect match for Nalik. Alice obviously loved him; she couldn't provide the children and the political and economic alliance a daughter from a prominent salarian clan could, but she would make him happy. He would certainly be miserable if he was forced to give her up and follow the path the dalatrass had set for him. If he was even willing to do that, which was not very likely, given his temperament and obstinate nature.

"Does your family know about this?" she finally asked.

"Yes."

"And what is their opinion?"

"Well, they did not like it in the beginning, but they have come around."

"They have probably given up trying to convince you."

"I'm sure they would love to commiserate with you about that," Alice laughed.

"So..." Sulil smiled, her first warm gesture since she'd arrived, "tell me about yourself."

 

* * *

 

When Nalik arrived about an hour later, he was astonished to find his mother and Alice on the couch, having tea together, and chatting amicably about something.

"Mother," he gasped, frozen to the spot as he stared at the two women. "What are you doing here?"

"Am I not allowed to visit my son and his girlfriend?" She cocked her head to the side and looked him up and down, trying to determine his state of health from the color of his skin, the shine of his eyes and the shape of his horns. "I have been having a nice conversation with Alice. Why can't you be more like her?" she nagged. She always had to nag him about something—she considered it her sacred duty.

"Excuse me?" Nalik gaped at her, her unexpected remark just adding to his confusion.

"She works _and_ goes to school. She's going to finish her studies and become an engineer. Why can't you do the same?"

"Mother," he sighed, rubbing his forehead, "why are you here?"

"Well..." She knew it was time to come clean, since he would never stop pestering her until he discovered the reason behind her visit. "I wanted to discuss the reproduction contract."

"I already told you I'm not interested." He inhaled impatiently as he sat down in the armchair next to the couch.

"I know. I thought I could convince Alice... But," she held up her hand, stopping him as he was about to say something, and not in a very pleasant manner, she could tell, "she has convinced me that you two are... a perfect match."

She smiled at Alice, who smiled back, then she looked at her son with a serious expression on her face.

"However, the dalatrass will not be so easy to impress with your love story. I am certain that she will try to do everything she can to make you give in. Unless..."

"Yes?" the lovebirds exclaimed together, as if on cue.

"Unless you two sign your own contract before that happens."

"We do what, now?" Alice asked, not sure she'd heard it right.

"What do you humans do when you merge two families?"

"Umm... We get married."

"And do you sign a contract then?"

"Well... I guess. In a way."

"Perfect," Sulil nodded, then continued, "so, you two should get married. Then it will be too late for the dalatrass to do anything. I will do my best to convince her of that."

Alice and Nalik stared at each other then at Sulil, for what seemed like forever, before Nalik spoke.

"So... Alice, do you want to get married?"

 


	4. Proposal

"That's how you proposed?" Don stared at Nalik in disbelief when he'd heard the big news.

"What do you mean?" Nalik asked back, confused.

"That's not very romantic. You're lucky she's such a nice girl—a saint, actually, to put up with you. Still, it's a miracle that she said yes. You didn't even give her a ring, did you?"

"Why would I have given her a ring? Do humans bribe their potential mates with jewelry so that they will marry them?"

"Nalik," Don sighed, sounding like it took him all the effort he could muster to remain patient, "when you propose to a human girl, you should do something romantic, like buy her an engagement ring, take her out to a fancy dinner and hide the ring in her food or drink and let her find it as a surprise!"

"That sounds dangerous. What if she chokes on it? I want to marry her, not kill her."

"The point is," Don sighed again, "that you should do something to show her that you love her."

"She knows that already."

"Okay, fine. And how about a bachelor party? We could go to this asari bar, hire a stripper, get drunk..."

"Why would I want to do that?" Nalik's eyes widened in surprise. Humans were so weird.

"It's a human custom. It's to... celebrate your last night of freedom."

"That makes no sense. It's not like I'll be locked up for the rest of my life. Besides, I don't drink and I'm not interested in strippers."

"Well, I am." Don's patience was getting really thin now.

"I thought it was for the person getting married."

"So, no bachelor party?"

"No."

"You're insufferable."

"Good thing that you're not the one I'm marrying then." Nalik shrugged, ignoring Don's glare.

"No kidding. So, the wedding will be in two weeks here, on the Citadel? Are your people coming?"

"Just the closest family. We want to keep it small."

 

* * *

 

"Mom, why are you crying?" Alice sighed, trying to keep her voice calm.

"You have to ask?" Her mother sniffed, staring at her accusingly through the holo-projector's screen. "My little girl, getting married, so far from home! And why so quickly? He's not even human, so it's not like you're pregnant—are you?"

"Of course not!" She rolled her eyes. "We have to do it quickly to prevent the dalatrass from finding out about our plans and ruining them. And we have to do it here because Nalik's mother is coming and it would be suspicious if she traveled to Earth. Not to mention that having a Citadel administrator conduct the ceremony will make it more official for both sides. I really hope that you guys can make it. I'm sorry that you have to come so far for this."

"You know we'd go to the end of the world for you, but... are you sure that this is what you want? Mike has been asking about you, you know."

"Mom! Do _not_ tell him anything!" Alice narrowed her eyes and leaned forward, trying to emphasize her point as much as she could. "I know you still think he's a good guy, but he's not! Trust me about this! Just wait until you meet Nalik; you'll love him."

"Fine. I know that once you've made up your mind there's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. She sighed resignedly and said, "Have you made a list of who you want to invite to the wedding?"

"We want to make it a small family affair." Alice leaned back, a bit more relaxed now, glad that the conversation had veered off into a more pleasant direction. "Especially since it's so far. So just you, dad, Jackie and Sam."

"We can't leave out Aunt Lara and Cousin Bo!" her mother exclaimed, shaking her head. "And there might be a few other people who would want to come."

"Whatever. Just write a list of people you think we should invite and let me know. I'll have to reserve some room for this."

"And how about the dinner?"

"What about it?"

"You're going to have a nice wedding dinner, right?"

"I guess..."

"You guess?!" Mrs. Thompson raised her eyebrows, then brought a hand up with a sigh. "You know what, I'll make the arrangements from here. I'm not leaving this to you and end up having a snack in your school's cafeteria."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea."

"Alice!"

"Relax, I was just joking. If it makes you happy, you can do all that stuff."

"I will, don't worry."

 

* * *

 

"Hey. Do you have _Slavers' Lair_? ... Hello?"

"Hmm? Sorry?" Nalik looked up with an apologetic smile. Ever since their talk in the morning, he'd been deep in thought, unable to stop mulling over what Don had said about his proposal—or lack thereof. Did he disappoint Alice by not giving her a ring and doing something romantic? She surely knew that he loved her—but maybe that wasn't enough. When he'd asked her if she wanted to get married, she gave him a happy smile and said yes without hesitation, but did she wish he had done it the proper human way?

" _Slavers' Lair_. Do you have it?' the turian asked again.

"Oh. Yes, of course. Do you have an account with us?"

"Yes. Here's my ID."

Nalik scanned the turian's outstretched arm, then arranged for the credit transfer and the download.

"Here you go. Thank you for shopping with us."

As soon as the customer was gone, he started up his omni-tool and searched for a jewelry shop on the Citadel. There were several, but none of them human-specific. He did find an asari store, however, which claimed to cater to all the resident species. It wasn't too far, so he decided to pay them a visit during his lunch break.

Satisfied with the results of the first part of his investigation, he widened his search to the extranet and entered "Human romantic marriage proposals" and was astonished to find lists after lists of ideas. He never would have thought that there were so many different ways human males came up with to surprise their girlfriends.

...

**ooo** Send her on a treasure hunt. Leave her hints at your favorite spots, the last one leading to you on one knee.

_How long would that take? Would I have to be on my knee the whole time?_

...

**ooo** Go out dancing and ask the band or the DJ for the microphone and propose to her on the dance floor.

_Dancing? Never tried. Not going to try now. The results wouldn't be very romantic._

...

**ooo** Turn off the light in the apartment and make a trail with lit candles that end in a circle, with the ring in the middle.

_Hmm... Wouldn't that be a fire hazard?_

...

**ooo** Have a cake made with "Will you marry me?" written in chocolate on top.

_This one might be good._

...

**ooo** Cook a romantic dinner and propose at the end.

_'Maybe this could work along with the cake...'_

...

His choice made, he started to look for some special recipe that he could try to make for her. He settled on caesar salad and filet mignon with mushroom-wine sauce. He'd need to talk to the turian chef at Zakera Café to get the ingredients and maybe some advice about how to prepare the meal.

He shut his omni-tool off with a satisfied smile, ready for the next customer, but looking forward to lunch time.

 

* * *

 

"Can I help you?" the saleswoman asked with a pleasant smile when he entered the jewelry shop.

"I'm looking for an engagement ring."

"An engagement ring?" her eyes widened. "For whom?"

"For my girlfriend... I mean... fiancé. She's human."

"Really?" She'd never heard of a salarian marrying a human before. As far as she knew, they just entered into reproduction contracts with each other, or sometimes bonded with asari. In fact, her father was a salarian. But marrying a human? This was something new.

She took a good look at this young man with the eager eyes, wondering how all this had happened, but tried to conceal her shock and curiosity and graciously gestured towards the display at the far end of the store.

"We have a nice selection of engagement rings for humans. All very high quality, with different stones."

She followed him to the indicated area and watched his reaction as he examined the merchandise. He looked at all the different items with a puzzled expression on his face—it was quite obvious that he was new to all this.

"This is one of the most popular ones." She pointed at a gold ring with a nice stone in the middle. "The gem in that one is diamond. Human females seem to like that."

"Oh?" Nalik asked, his interest piqued. "Can I get that one then?"

"What is her size?"

"Umm... Her size?"

"Yes. I need to know her measurement, so the ring will fit. You do know her size, right?"

"Actually... no." He had not anticipated this obstacle. How was he supposed to know all this?

"No problem." The saleswoman smiled patiently. "Does she wear rings?"

"Yes."

"Well, then, here's what you can do: If you want to keep this a secret, sneak out one that she doesn't have on at the moment, bring it here, and I will determine the number. Then put it back without her noticing, and surprise her with this beautiful, well-fitting diamond ring."

"Sounds like a good idea. I'll be back tomorrow," Nalik said, relieved that there was a solution and his plan was going to work after all.

"So, when are you going to propose?" She couldn't resist digging for some details after all.

"I already did... in a way."

"You did?" She frowned, confused. "And... you're giving her the ring _now_?"

"Yes. I, ah, didn't know about that custom before." He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Well, it's nice of you to do it now. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

"I hope so."

"She will, don't worry. She'll love that ring. And later you two can come in and get a set of wedding bands."

"A set of what?" Nalik gaped at her, wondering how many more things he had been oblivious about.

"Oh, you don't know? Most humans give a ring to each other on the day of the wedding, and they wear it from that day on. It symbolizes the fact that they belong to each other. I think it's quite a nice custom."

"How many rings do humans give to each other?" This was getting more and more complicated.

"Only the ones we've talked about," the asari laughed. "I mean, of course, they can give more later if they want, but these are the ones they usually present to each other when they get married.

"Oh. Okay. Lots to learn when you love somebody outside your own race," Nalik muttered, mostly to himself.

"Tell me about it. My father was a salarian. There were some... misunderstandings between him and my mother a few times." She smiled, her eyes distant for a moment as the memory of him flooded every part of her being. Her chest swelled with warmth and pain at the same time. She missed him. She missed him so much.

"Well, see you tomorrow," she said quietly and quickly turned away, hiding the tears welling up in her eyes.

 

* * *

 

"Hey. How have you been?" the turian chef greeted him with a jovial smile when Nalik entered Zakera Café. Ever since he'd helped with the selection of wine for that wonderful first date, he was the one Nalik and Alice turned to when they needed some special ingredient for a human or salarian dish or when they wanted to have a nice dinner at his restaurant.

"Good. Good. I proposed to Alice but I might not have done it the proper way, so I want to make this special meal and cake and—"

"Stop right there!" Silus raised his hands with an astonished look on his face. "What did you just say? You proposed marriage to her?"

"Yes."

"And did she accept?

"Yes."

"I'll be damned. Then what is the problem?"

"Well, I've found out that that's not how humans do this. Apparently they prefer to do something romantic and then present the female with an engagement ring. I... don't want to disappoint her." Nalik sighed, staring at the floor. "So I searched the extranet, found some ideas and decided to prepare a romantic dinner and a cake that says 'Will you marry me?' and then give her the ring. Do you think she'll like that?" He finally raised his eyes, searching for the turian's reaction. He also had a human girlfriend, after all, so he was probably well qualified to give him an opinion on the matter.

Silus regarded him for a while, pondering the issue, before he answered. A marriage proposal from a salarian to a human. He did not expect this. But then again, why not? Judging by their interactions, they got along great. He might even say that there was love between them. Maybe even as much as between himself and Claire. Maybe this salarian had the right idea: if you love somebody, why not make it official? Why not spend the rest of your lives together? Maybe... maybe he should propose to Claire—

"Well?" Nalik interrupted his thoughts, anxiously waiting for his answer.

"Oh. Sorry. Yes, I think she'll like that. So, what do you need from me?"

"Great," Nalik let out a relieved sigh. "Okay, so I found these recipes," he fired up his omni-tool and shoved his outstretched arm under the nose of the chef to show him the screen with the saved links, "and I wondered if you have the ingredients. Also, could you make that cake?"

"The cake is not a problem, but are you sure you have the skills to make the filet mignon? Anyone can make a salad, but many amateurs are mistaken when they think they can make a dish that requires special skills and training. Have you gone to a good cooking school?"

"Umm... No..."

"Well, I have. So, if you really want to impress her, you need my help. I'll get the ingredients, come to your place and we can prepare the meal together."

"Wow. I did not expect this. I don't even know how to thank you!"

"Just invite us to your wedding." Silus flared his mandibles in a grin. "So, when do you need these?"

"I'll get the ring tomorrow, so it should be tomorrow night."

"Good. I'll be there tomorrow then."

"And the cake?"

"The cake, too."

 

* * *

 

The next day went by in a blur: he got the ring, sent a message to Alice's friend, asking her to hold Alice up for a while after school, left work early, then met the chef at the apartment for their cooking session. Silus complained about the lack of proper kitchen equipment, but they managed, and by the time Alice arrived home, everything was ready: the food cooked, the table set (Silus insisted on lighting some candles against Nalik's protests and lectures about fire hazards), the cake hidden in the food storage unit, romantic music playing in the background.

"Mmm... Something smells good." Alice sniffed the air when she entered.

She gave the happily grinning Nalik a kiss then froze as she noticed the beautifully laid out plates and bowls and glasses, softly illuminated by the dancing flames of a couple of tall candles. "What's this?"

"A surprise. I hope you'll like it." Nalik led her to the table, and when she sat down he brought the food in.

"Wow. This is absolutely delicious! When did you learn to make something like this?" Alice enthused between two bites.

"Actually, the chef from Zakera Café helped. He didn't think my skills were good enough to tackle this."

"So it _was_ him! I thought I saw him leave the building when I got home. I'll have to thank him for doing this— this is wonderful. And, of course, thank you, too!"

If she was surprised by the meal, she was shocked by what came next. After they'd finished eating, he cleared the table, insisting on doing it alone, then he brought in the cake and put it in front of her. She stared at the words written in chocolate on top, her mouth open, and when she looked up there was Nalik in front of her, down on one knee, holding a little box with a diamond ring nestled inside.

"Alice. I love you. Will you marry me?"

"I... Of course!" she blurted out as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "But—I said yes already."

"I know. But I was told that I didn't do it the proper way."

"Who said that? Oh... wait. It was Don, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"That meddling jerk," she laughed. "I really didn't expect anything like this, but I do love the special dinner and the cake—and the ring. Thank you. I love you."

"I love you, too."

The ring fit perfectly, and she couldn't stop looking at it. She wiggled her fingers to let the light shine on the diamond from different angles, making it refract through the stone in beautiful patterns and reflect in glistening sparkles. She couldn't have been happier; she thanked fate for bringing him to her, this wonderful, loving, romantic creature who, in spite of being a member of a different species, with different biology, culture, and background, was The One she'd waited for all her life. She loved him with all her heart, and she knew that he felt the same way about her.

They tried to play _Asari Justicar_ that night, sitting side by side on the couch, but couldn't keep their hands off of each other, so after the third 'Game Over' they gave up and turned the whole thing off. They made love on the couch, then in the shower, and again in bed, before they drifted off to sleep, cuddling and dreaming of their future life together.


	5. Family

_From: MamaBear56[galaxymail_net]_

_To: Captain_Alice[citadeluniv_citnet]_

_Alice_ _,_

_I've been in contact with some restaurants about the wedding dinner and I need to know how many of Nalik's relatives are going to be there. So far we have a guest count of 18 on our side._

_I suppose you're making arrangements for the ceremony? Let me know where it will be and I'll order some flowers and decorations. We'll bring some holo cameras, so there will be plenty of vids and pictures!_

_Love,_

_Mom_

...

_From: Captain_Alice[citadeluniv_citnet]_

_To: MamaBear56[galaxymail_net]_

_Mom!_

_18 people? Jeez! I thought I told you that it was going to be a small family affair. Nalik said that only his closest family members would be here, but I'll ask him for the number. Some of our friends are coming, too, so please add 6 people to the list._

_The ceremony will be on the Presidium, in the park. You can contact Lania Monar, the administrator who will conduct it, for more details at Lania_Monar_citadeladmin_citnet. But don't go overboard! Simple and small, remember?_

_And thanks, Mom._

_Love,_

_Alice_

_..._

_From: MamaBear56[galaxymail_net]_

_To: Captain_Alice[citadeluniv_citnet]_

_Alice_ _,_

_Okay, thank you. I'll contact that Lania person. As for the number of people, the more the merrier! Plus, everybody wants to see the groom!_

_Love,_

_Mom_

_..._

_From: Captain_Alice[citadeluniv_citnet]_

_To: MamaBear56[galaxymail_net]_

_Mom,_

_You won't believe this. Nalik's closest family members, who will come to the wedding, are 36 individuals! He said that the first circle of the clan actually consists of 102 aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., but these 36 are the most reliable and trusted ones... So... add 36 to the guest list..._

_Love,_

_Alice_

_..._

_From: John_Thompson[ftlresearch_org]_

_To: Captain_Alice[citadeluniv_ citnet]_

_Alice_ _,_

_Ha! They aren't going to beat us! Now we have 45 people coming from our side!_

_Love,_

_Dad_

_..._

_From: Captain_Alice[citadeluniv_citnet]_

_To: John_Thompson[ftlresearch_org]_

_Dad! This is not a contest!_

_45 people?! Are you kidding me?_

_Love,_

_Alice_

_..._

_From: John_Thompson[ ftlresearch_org]_

_To: Captain_Alice[citadeluniv_citnet]_

_Alice_ _,_

_Everything is a contest. And we're going to win! Plus, I want everybody to see my beautiful daughter on the happiest day of her life._

_I love you._

_Dad_

_..._

_From: Captain_Alice[citadeluniv_citnet]_

_To: John_Thompson[ftlresearch_org]_

_I love you, too, Dad. So much._

_Your Alice_

* * *

 

The park was beautiful, as always, but its usual peace and quiet was shattered by the frantic comings and goings of the decorators Mrs. Thompson had hired, putting the last touches on the area that had been designated for the wedding. Most of the guests were already there, milling around, marveling at the gorgeous scenery, talking and stealing glances at the wedding party.

The event was designed to be a mixture of human and salarian customs within the framework of the Citadel's administrative rules and procedures. Alice and Nalik were to walk down the aisle together between the chairs and meet the witnesses, as well as Lania, the asari administrator, under an arch covered with flowers, where she would conduct the ceremony.

The human and salarian guests kept to themselves at first, but curiosity soon took over and the two groups started to mingle and chat about the Citadel, their trips, and the wedding. Mrs. Thompson and Sulil exchanged horror stories about the stubborn nature of their respective children, Mr. Thompson relished the heated conversation that developed between himself and a few of the salarian guests about FTL technology, and Alice's sisters, Jackie and Sam, couldn't stop giggling at Don's silly jokes.

Soon all the preparations were finished, romantic music started to play, and the guests were invited to take their seats. When everybody had finally settled down, Lania Monar emerged from the small conservatory at the back, carrying a thick, finely decorated book, and solemnly marched down the path to the arch. The two witnesses, Jackie and Angim, Nalik's favorite uncle, were next to join her— Jackie with a bashful smile on her face and Angim looking stiff and serious.

The excitement grew as the guests waited for the couple to appear, and the muffled whispers turned into oohs and ahhs as they stepped out of the conservatory, smiling, eyes twinkling, with Alice's hand on Nalik's arm. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in her long white dress, decorated with lace and embroidery, her hair pinned up with a dozen small, sparkling, flower shaped barrettes. He wore a black and white suit, similar to an Earth tuxedo, and even the most skeptical participants had to admit that they looked stunning together.

They slowly strolled towards their destination, happy and nervous at the same time, and when they finally arrived at the arch, Lania Monar gave a long speech about love, fate, the workings of the galaxy and the joys and duties of married life, ignoring the sniffles and fidgeting in the audience as she smiled benevolently at the couple in front of her.

"Do you, Emnytas Preshia Yoldis Lisor Kelos Nalik confirm your intent, of your own free will, to enter into matrimony under the laws of the Citadel and its governing council with the present Alice Kathryn Thompson?" she asked at last.

"Yes."

"Do you, Alice Kathryn Thompson, of Earth, confirm your intent, of your own free will, to enter into matrimony under the laws of the Citadel and its governing council with the present Emnytas Preshia Yoldis Lisor Kelos Nalik?"

"Yes."

"You may exchange the rings now."

Alice and Nalik slid the matching wedding bands on each other's fingers with shaky hands but happy smiles, then turned back to the administrator.

"Please sign your names here." Lania gestured at the official Citadel Marriage and Birth Records book, resting on a pedestal behind her. Nalik and Alice complied, followed by Jackie and Angim as witnesses, and Lania as official Citadel representative.

"You and the Citadel archives are going to be issued electronic copies of the marriage certificate as well," the asari informed them, then she turned to the audience and announced, "I hereby certify that Emnytas Preshia Yoldis Lisor Kelos Nalik and Alice Kathryn Thompson are, from this day on, husband and wife."

The couple embraced in a gentle kiss and the audience erupted in cheers and clapping. Mrs. Thompson wiped her tears as her husband put his arms around her, doing his best to hide his own misty eyes. It was official. Their little girl was married—to a salarian. Just a few months ago they would not have imagined such a thing, but now, it all felt good. Really good.

 

* * *

 

The wedding dinner was a big success. There were human and salarian delicacies, and even Silus was satisfied with his own dextro meal. When it was time for the dance, Nalik did his best to follow the steps that Alice had taught him. Eventually he loosened up and even started to enjoy the whole thing. The guests soon joined in, first mostly the humans, but later some of the salarians ventured onto the floor, too. A few of them turned out to be talented dancers and everybody had a great time.

Before the night was over, Alice and Nalik left for their honeymoon, but the party continued well into the early hours. All in all, the wedding turned out to be much better than anybody had expected.

And where did the newlyweds go for their honeymoon? Illium. There was a big "Galaxy Trek Convention" there to attend, after all.

 

* * *

 

TEN YEARS LATER

"Grandma, Grandma!" The kids shouted as they burst through the door and ran into Mrs. Thompson's open arms. "We won first place!"

"I knew you would!" She laughed as she squeezed them tight, planting a kiss on Danyl's horn and Jennie's blond hair. "Where are your parents?"

"They're coming," Danyl said, looking behind him. "They're getting our stuff out of the cab."

"Maybe next year we should reenact the 'Fire in Engineering' scene," Alice said as she and Nalik strolled through the door, his hand on her shoulder and hers on his waist, each of them carrying a couple of bags stuffed full of costumes, action figures and other memorabilia from the event.

"That's a good idea. We could add some pyrotechnics for added effect!" Nalik was getting excited just thinking about the possibilities.

"Not with my grandchildren around!" Mrs. Thompson exclaimed, pulling the kids closer to her chest, as if to protect them from any danger their irresponsible parents would expose them to.

"Hmm... Maybe you're right, Mom. We'll have to come up with something safer," Nalik said, his mind mulling over some new ideas already.

"Where's Grandpa?" Danyl asked, pulling out of his grandmother's embrace.

"He's in the den, playing your dad's new game."

"Wait for me!" little Jennie shouted as she ran after her big brother, who was gone in a flash.

"Speaking of which," Mrs. Thompson turned to Nalik, touching him on his shoulder to jostle him out of his deep thoughts about next year's costume contest, "a reporter called. She found out that you were on Earth for the convention and she wants to conduct an interview with you about your new game."

"Mom! What did you tell her?" Alice asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Nothing! I told her to call back later."

"Thank you, Mom," Nalik said. "A little PR never hurts. I'll talk to her when she calls again."

 

* * *

 

"Grandpa!" Danyl plopped down on the couch and put his arms around Mr. Thompson's neck.

"Danyl! I'm so glad you're here!"

"How about me, Grandpa?" Jennie asked, climbing onto his lap.

"You too, of course! How was the convention?" He paused the game and set the controller down.

"It was great! We won first prize!"

"And we bought a bunch of stuff!"

"And we got a lot of autographs!"

"And I fell and got a booboo on my knee! You wanna see?" Jennie pulled her pants up and shoved her little knee under her Grandpa's nose.

"Aww, I'm sorry! Did it hurt?" he asked, rubbing the red mark on her pale skin. "Do you want me to kiss it?"

"Yes!" She giggled as he blew raspberries over the bruise.

"Who wants ice cream?" he asked, looking up with a mischievous smile.

"Me!"

"Me, too!"

"All right, then let's go!"

 

* * *

 

They sat around the table in the kitchen, licking their cold and creamy desserts off their spoons. Alice and Nalik sat close together, snuggling up to each other—like they always did—as the kids made funny noises, trying to make the others laugh, and the grandparents watched them with affection and pride.

"So, Danyl," Grandpa Thompson turned to his favorite grandson, "have you decided yet what you'll want to be?"

"Yes! I'll be a scientist, like you, and I'll join the Special Tasks Group like uncle Angim."

"Me, too!" Jennie piped up.

"You can't be in the STG!" Danyl said, turning to his little sister. "You're not a salarian."

"Jennie, honey," Alice interrupted as her little girl's mouth curved down and tears started to well up in her eyes, "I thought you wanted to be an engineer, like Mommy? You can join the Alliance when you grow up and fly on big ships!"

"How big?"

"This big!" Alice opened her arms wide, then leaned over, embraced her daughter and showered her with a thousand kisses. Jennie giggled as she held onto her, her disappointment already forgotten.

Grandpa took out his holo camera, set it on a tripod, started the timer and hurried back to the table to join the family for a picture.

"Everybody say 'cheese'!"

"Cheese!"

And that's how that perfect picture of their perfect family was made.

.

.

~The End~

 


End file.
